The Yamaha R-S700 is a welcome addition to Yamaha's lineup of receivers. It's also a refreshing change of pace from the typical multi-channel AV Receiver. Many multi-channel units, despite having a cost of well over $1,000, do not do justice to music. Many of them are fine for music, maybe even good, but I think this rating is always tempered by an oft unspoken "for a surround receiver" caveat. The R-S700 cuts to the chase and focuses on one thing and does it very well: 2 channel music. Now, that said, this is not a boutique audiophile 2-channel system. It is very good at 2 channel music, even better than many multi-channel receivers costing much more, but it's probably not going to compete with a dedicated audiophile tube-amp based analog 2 channel system. Nor however, will it cost nearly as much. With an MSRP of $549, and a street price much below that, the Yamaha R-S700 is hard to pass up. If you long for a decent 2-channel system, but don't want to take out another mortgage to do it, or if you have a smaller domicile like a condo, town home, or apartment, and don't have the space for a full surround system, the Yamaha R-S700 deserves a serious look.